San Francisco DA pleads for more help with witness protection

San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris pleaded with state Senators on Tuesday to increase funding for the state’s witness protection program.

Recalling the slaying of 22-year-old Terrell Rollins, who was gunned downed after his grand jury testimony led to murder and attempted murder charges against two suspected gang members, Harris said the state has to do more to protect witnesses.

Kamala Harris

Although Rollins, whom Harris’ called a hero for agreeing to testify, was in the district attorney’s witness protection program, he disregarded prosecutors’ warnings to stay out of San Francisco unless authorities accompanied him.

Rollins had been staying in Millbrae but was slain when he dropped off his van at a repair shop on Bayshore Boulevard.

“It was a tragedy. We had to dismiss the case because that hero was the only witness in that homicide,” Harris said.

Terrell Rollins

District Attorneys up and down the state are pressing for passage of

SB 594, which would doubled the funding of the witness protection program to $6 million and help witnesses permanently relocate to safe communities.

The bill sailed through the Senate’s Public Safety Committee with bipartisan support.